Cable clamp



June 25, 1923.

J. A. ROBERTSON CABLE CLAMP Filed April '7, 1922 INVENTR JohfiARaberison9 ATTORNEY Patented dune 26, T9231.

JOHN A. ROBERTSOILOF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

CABLE Application filed April. 7,

To aZZ whom it may conccmi Be it known that I, Join: A. Ronnn'rsorr, acitizen of the United Fvtates residing at St. Joseph, in the county ofBuchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in a Cable Clamp, of which the following is aspecification.

My said invention relates to a cable clamp intended primarily for use.in supporting telephone cables in elevator shafts. Such a cable isvertically located in an elevator shaft and is supported by a steel ropeor ca ble standing alongside thereof which is called a messenger. Tnordinary practice the cable is attached to the messenger by wrappingwire about the cable and through the strands of the messenger. Theweight of the cable is very great and therefor such attachment-s must bemade at intervals of five or ten feet along the same. This work must bedone before the cable is raised and even then there is a tendency tochoke tie cable. By the use of my device such diiiiculty is obviated andit becomes a relatively simple matter to connect or disconnect the cablefrom the messenger.

My device is also useful in drawing cables through conduits and manholesin underground cable work as it renders such work easier and quicker.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similar P Figure 1 is aside elevation of my device,

Figure 2 a similar elevation taken from the opposite side,

Figure 3 a section on line 3-3 of Figures 1 and 2 showing the clamp inclosed position,

Figure 3 a similar section showing the clamp in open position, and

Figure shows the underside of the up per clamp member.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates a lower clamping memberwith which an upper clamping member 11 cooperates to grip the cable 12therebetween. For connecting the clamping members I have provided aseries of links 12 at each side thereof, the links being connected tolower 'member 10 by oppositely located. screws 13 or by a set of boltsextending through the member and each supporting a pair of links. At theupper end the links are connected to the upper clamp member CLAIM?-1922. Serial No. 550,301.

by bolts 14 each having a head 15 at one end and the other end. beingheadless to permit the corresponding link. to be readily slipped on andoil". in this way the clamp may be quickly opened or closed, the'link atthe other side having loose connection with bolts 13 and 14 to form asort of hinge. Between the clamp members is a groove 18 here shown ascomprising a. smooth portion in the lower member and a corrugatedportion in the upper member.

The upper clamp carries an eye-bolt 19 extending upwardly therefrom andthe lower member, an eye-bolt 20 located forwardly of the front end ofmember 11. A link composed of still another eye-bolt 21 connects thebolts 19 and 20 and a nut 22 on this link spaced. from bolt 19 by awasher 23 limits the relative longitudinal movement of the members 16and 11 for. opening the clamp but permits free relative movement in thedirection for closing the same.

The end of the member 10 at which bolt 20 is locatedwill be the upperend of the clamp in use and the pivot 2 is located at this end. Thispivot forms the pin of a clevis 25 which serves to connect a link 26 tothe clamp. This link may be the end link of a chain connecting the clampto the messenger or it may me connected to the messenger.

In the use of my device the links at one side will be disconnected fromthe bolts 14 as shown in Figure 3 and the upper member swung to one sideto open the clamp. After placing the cable therein the clamp may beclosed as in Figure 3. When the lifting operation begins and the strainof the cable falls on the clamp the part 11 will move longitudinallyrelatively to the part 10 as shown in Figure 1 and thus will clamp thecable with increasing force dependent on the weight of the cable. As theclamp is in contact with the cable through the entire length of themember 11 there is no choking or pinching action but an evenlydistributed pressure.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my device may bemodified in various ways without departing from the spirit of myinvention the true scope of which is indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A clamp comprising a pair of alined 2 1,4eo,eve

members adapted to move longitudinally in opposite directions to clamp acable or the like between them and means connecting the members at oneside to permit hinge-like opening of the clamp, substantially as setforth.

2. A clamp comprising a pair of alined members, links at opposite sidesthereof per mitting relative longitudinal movement between said alinedmembers, a link extending longitudinally of said members and connectionsbetween said link and said members adapted to limit such relativelongitudinal movement in one direction, substantially as set forth.

3. A clamp comprising a pair of alined members, a plurality of spacedlinks connecting the alined members, and means to stop their relativelongitudinal movement in one directon approximately at the time ofgreatest separation between them, substantially as set forth,

4. A clamp comprising a pair of alined members, links at opposite sidesthereof permitting relative longitudinal movement between said alinedmembers, fixed abutments on said members, means secured to one abutmentand adapted to bear against the other when the members are at the pointof greatest separation to stop their relative longitudinal movement,substantially as set forth.

5. A clamp comprising a pairv of alined members, links at opposite sidestherof peropposite directions to clamp a cable or the like between them,and a bolt and link Connection for the members permitting separationthereof along one edge to open the clamp, substantially as set forth.

7. A clamp comprising a pair of alined members adapted to movelongitudinally in opposite directions to clamp a cable or the likebetween them, a bolt through the upper member, a bolt through the lowermember, link connecting said bolts at opposite sides of the clamp, saidconnection permitting separation of the members along one edge to openthe clamp, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at St. Joseph,Missouri this 1st day of April, A. D. nineteen huntired and twenty-two;

JOHN A. ROBERTSON [1,. s]

lVitnsses JOHN F. VAN ARSDALE, LUCIAN J. Eosrron.

